Avro Vulcan feirer 65 - Vulcan to the Air

The serial number or ‘registration’ XH558 was first reserved back in 1954. However developments were happening quickly and change to the design mid-production cycle was quite common. One major change was the development of a "kink" in the wing. This change would mark the end of the Vulcan B.1 and see the introduction of the B.2 XH558 was the twelfth airframe on the B.2 production line, but by the time this improved modification arrived, all aircraft built up to XH556 had already been made with a shallower intake. XH557 was set to become the test aircraft and so XH558 was therefore allocated to be the first B.2 aircraft ready for service delivery. She made her maiden flight at Woodford on 25 May 1960, 65 years ago today!

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